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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
MD Education

Professional Behavior & Moral Reasoning

Our graduates will demonstrate a commitment to professional responsibilities and behavior as well as the ability to understand, reflect upon and integrate ethical and moral dimensions of healthcare.

Expand the entries below to learn more about benchmarks in these competencies.

 PBMR - 1

Identify, analyze, and justify appropriate ethical choices in the care of individual patients and their families, and recognize legal constraints on such choices.

  • Does Not Meet: Unable to identify any ethical choices or legal constraints in patient scenarios.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Identifies and performs basic analyses of the key ethical issues and legal constraints in individual patient care and justifies a decision.
  • Phase 2-3 Benchmark: Identifies and analyzes major ethical issues and options in complex case studies and clinical experience and justifies a decision in response to some counterarguments.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Identifies and analyzes major and minor ethical issues and options, anticipates, and responds to counterarguments in complex case studies and clinical experience, and justifies a decision. Teaches this to colleagues.

 PBMR - 2

Identify, analyze, and justify appropriate ethical choices in the institutional, cultural, and social contexts of healthcare in which students work, and recognize legal constraints on such choices. 

  • Does Not Meet: Unable to identify any ethical choices or legal constraints in healthcare contexts.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Identifies and performs basic analyses of the key ethical issues and legal constraints in healthcare contexts and justifies a decision.
  • Phase 2-3 Benchmark: Identifies and analyzes major ethical issues and options in complex contexts of health care delivery and justifies a decision in response to some counterarguments.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Identifies and analyzes major and minor ethical issues and options and anticipates and responds to counterarguments in the complex contexts of health care delivery and justifies a decision. Teaches this to colleagues.

 PBMR - 3

Display honesty, integrity, respect, and compassion toward others (patients, families, faculty, staff, peers, etc.), regardless of gender, race, religion, ideology, socioeconomic status, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or ability to pay. 

  • Does Not Meet: Exhibits specific episodes of dishonesty, lack of integrity or disrespect toward others.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Behaves with honesty, integrity, respect, humility, and compassion toward all patients, families, peers, students, faculty, and members of the healthcare team.
  • Phase 2-3 Benchmark: Behaves with honesty, integrity, respect, humility, and compassion toward all patients, families, peers, students, faculty, and members of the healthcare team and advocates for others.
  • Aspirational Behavior: In the face of consequences, is willing to stand up against breaches in respect or compassion.

 PBMR - 5

Display accountability and dependability including an ability to take responsibility for mistakes.

  • Does Not Meet: Exhibits specific episodes of lack of accountability or dependability and does not correct when pointed out. Does not take ownership of mistakes or take steps to address them. 
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Completes duties and tasks in a timely and reliable manner.  Takes ownership of mistakes, utilizing coaching to help address them.
  • Phase 2-3 Benchmark:Completes duties and tasks in a timely, reliable, and thorough manner. Takes ownership of mistakes and takes steps to address them.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Completes duties and tasks in a timely, reliable, and thorough manner. Takes ownership of mistakes and independently takes steps to address them. 

 PBMR - 6

Demonstrate respect for privacy, protect confidentiality, maintain security of the data of patients and families, and promote patient autonomy. 

  • Does Not Meet: Exhibits specific episodes of violation of privacy and confidentiality and/or demonstrates disregard for patient autonomy. 
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Respects patient autonomy and privacy and maintains the confidentiality of patients and families.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Respects and maintains the privacy and confidentiality of patients and families. Takes steps to foster patient autonomy.
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Maintains privacy and confidentiality, articulates their importance in clinical situations and adapts clinical care to promote patient autonomy. 
  • Aspirational Behavior: Helps others to maintain patient privacy and confidentiality and adapt clinical care to promote patient autonomy. 

 PBMR - 7

Demonstrate initiative and responsibility in daily professional tasks, including participation in learning activities, class presentations and patient care. Acknowledges personal limits and seeks help appropriately.

  • Does Not Meet: Does not consistently take initiative for own learning and patient care; unaware of limitations and/or not open to acknowledging limitations and taking steps to address them. 
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Consistently takes initiative for own learning and patient care in the classroom setting. Begins to demonstrate awareness of limitations, openness to acknowledging knowledge or skill deficits, and willingness to take action to address (e.g., "I don't know, and I'll find out.")
  • Phase 2-3 Benchmark: Consistently takes initiative for own learning and patient care, including in complex situations. Consistently demonstrates awareness of limitations, openness to acknowledging knowledge or skill deficits, and willingness to take action to address (e.g., "I don't know, and I'll find out.")
  • Aspirational Behavior: Identifies opportunities to beyond typical efforts to support patient care or team education, prioritizing the goals of the patient or team. Role models for others an openness to acknowledging limitations and taking appropriate follow-up steps.